Wednesday MidDay Medley

TEN to NOON Wednesdays – Streaming at KKFI.org

90.1 FM KKFI – Kansas City Community Radio

Produced and Hosted by Mark Manning

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

New & Local Releases + BREAD! KC + Sterling Witt LIVE!

1. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Heart in Your Heartbreak”

from: Belong / Slumberland Records / March 29, 2011

[2nd studio album from NYC band, who’s name comes from an unpublished children’s story of the same title that a friend of vocalist Kip Berman wrote.]

2. Everyday/Everynight –“Breathe Deep”

from: Etc. / Golden Sound Records / May 3, 2011

[Nominated for a Pitch Music Award for “Best Emerging Act.” Evan Ashby on Guitar, Mat Shoare on Guitar/Keyboard/Vocals, Austin Lyon on Drums, and Jerad Colton Tomasino on Guitar/Keyboard/Vocals The band includes three members who sing and write songs. Golden Sounds Records is a new local recording company who also release the music of Oriole Post and The Empty Spaces, as well as the solo works of Jerad Colton Tomasina and Mat Shoare. KC band, Everyday/Everynight plays Knickerbockers in Lincoln, NE, Sat, Sep 17; The Brick, 1727 McGee St. in KC, on Thu, Nov 3; Barley Street Tavern in Omaha, NE on Nov. 4; and Sideshows in Columbia, MO, Sat, Nov 5.]

3. Rex Hobart and The Misery Boys – “I Just Lost My Mind”

from: Empty House / Bloodshot Records / February 22, 2005

[4th album from KC’s very own multi-talented, Rex Hobart, who’ll be performing in concert, Tues, Sept 6, at The Record Bar, 1020 Westport Rd.]

10:15

4. Yellow Ostrich – “Hold On”

from: The Mistress / Barsuk Records / August 16, 2011

[Barsuk records has re-released “The Mistress” originally put out on Vinyl by AFTERNOON RECORDS on February 15, 2011. It’s what they are calling “a bedroom project,” from Alex Schaaf, the individual behind the NYC based Yellow Ostrich, who now tour as a three piece band. Yellow Ostrich will play the Bourbon Theatre in Lincoln, NE, on Nov. 16 with Ra Ra Riot + Delicate Steve]

5. Maria Taylor– “Bad Idea?”

from: Overlook / Saddle Creek Records / Aug. 16, 2011

[5th solo album from the singer songwriter originally from Birmingham, Alabama. Maria was one half of the band Azure Ray with Orenda Fink. Maria Taylor recently moved back home to Alabama after living for many years on the West Coast. For the first time she has self-produced her own record, in an attempt to capture the sound of the South, of Alabama and its music scene, enlisting local musicians to flesh out the album and lend their personalities to the songs. The sessions ran loose and easy, with family and friends often stopping in and spending time as she recorded. ]

6. Digitalism – “2 Hearts”

from: I Love You, Dude / V2 Records / June 21, 2011

[2nd studio album by German electro pop duo who met at a record store in Hamburg in 2004, and became friends. Later, the store’s owner asked them to DJ a party, and they then began mixing and recording. They record their music in a World War II bunker they own in Hamburg. They perform live using a Macbook Pro laptop as the heart of the act.]

7. Sneaky Creeps – “It Must Be Chemical”

from: World Cup / Independent / Nov. 2010

[Max Crutcher, Andy Davis, Andy Erdrich all met while going to KCAI. Andy Erdrich, who is also a co-founder of BREAD! KC reports that The Sneaky Creeps are working on a new album to be released very soon!]

10:35 – Interview with Sean Starowitz and Joy Costa

Originally from Louisville Kentucky, Sean Starowitz, is a recent graduate of The Kansas City Art Institute, and founder of BREAD! KC, an art project he conceived in 2010 that creates funding for local artists by hosting a dinner, where for a $10 donation, diners are served a bowl of fresh soup, fresh baked bread, and a ballot. Three different creative projects are presented, and diners vote for one to receive the money collected from the evening. In under a year, BREAD! KC has awarded over $3000.00 in micro-grants to area writers, gardeners, bands and artists. Joining us in the conversation was Joy Costa who along with Andrew Erdrich became partners with Sean to continue creating BREAD! KC events.

Sean, talked about how moving to KC, going to art school, during the recession, meant that some of his Community Art Projects were motivated by hunger, including his “Wheels for Meals project.” Another early project that Sean was a part of was the “S’Mores Cart” with Kurt Flecksing, and “No Show Thursdays.”

Food and Art seem to always go together, with Culinary Artists working to make our food into art. Kansas City is know for many great restaurants, and many great art spaces too, and often they come together, like Cafe Sebastienne at The Kemper Museum of Modern Art. BREAD! KC seems to celebrate a more basic element, that we all need to eat, and why not find a creative, community art project, to share the feast and make new connections.

Joy has had the opportunity to work in many of KC’s finest kitchens and currently works for Bistro Kids. Sean was offered a job working for Farm to Market Bakery, through his work with BREAD! KC. Door to Door Organics and Farm to Market have been a big help to BREAD! KC. BREAD! KC events have raised over $3000.00 in under a year for worthy projects.

Andy Erdrich, Erin Alm Shipman, Winifred Wright are part of BREAD! KC Team and are currently looking to find a venue for your September 25th BREAD! KC Event. In October the BREAD! KC event will be at the Kansas City Art Institute. More info at breadkc.wordpress.com

10:45

8. City and Colour – “Fragile Bird”

from: Little Hell / Vagrant Records / June 7, 2011

[1st single from, the 3rd album from, City and Colour, the recording alias for Award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Dallas Green, who was also the guitarist & vocalist of the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. He plays acoustic and folk music and is often accompanied by a rotating number of Canadian indie rock musicians. The name City and Colour comes from his own name: Dallas, a city, and Green, a colour. His reasoning for the name was that he felt queasy “putting the album out under the name Dallas Green.”]

9. Fruit Bats – “You’re Too Weird”

from: Tripper / Sub Pop / Aug 2, 2011

[5th album since signing with Sub Pop Records in 2001. Formed in Chicago in 1997 by singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson who has performed as a side man in the the band Califone and as the leader of I Rowboat.]

10. Caveman – “Thankful”

from: Coco Beware / Smiling Violet – Trade Root / Digital Release: Sept. 13, 2011

[Physical Release: November 15, 2011. Formed in New York in January of 2010]

11:00

11. Gillian Welch – “Summer Evening”

from: Going Driftless An Artist’s Tribute to Greg Brown / Red House / 2002

[Going Driftless features female songwriters including: Lucinda Williams, Ani DiFranco, Iris Dement, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Greg Brown’s three daughters & more, who’ve joined forces to record a tribute album, each selecting their own favorite song by Brown to benefit The Breast Cancer Fund. Grammy nominated singer songwriter and big friend to 90.1 FM, Iris DeMent married Greg Brown on November 21, 2002, here in Kansas City, in the offices of Rev. Sam Mann, at St. Mark Church. Iris DeMent and Greg Brown will be making a very rare appearance, in concert TOGETHER, here in Kansas City, at The Folly Theatre, on 11-11-11, in a special benefit for St. Mark’s Early Childhood Development Center. More info and suprises to come!]

[Gillian Welch’s new release, “The Harrow & The Harvest” on Acony Records, is her first record in over 7 years. Gillian Welch plays Liberty Hall in Lawrence on Sunday September 4]

12. Guy Forsythe – “Hometown Boy”

from: Calico Girl / Small and Nimble Records / May 20, 2008

[Austin Texas, singer songwriter Guy Forsythe plays Knuckleheads, 2715 Rochester, Saturday September 3, at 9:00 PM. knuckleheadskc.com for more information.]

13. Bon Iver – “Calgary”

from: Bon Iver / Jagjaguary Records / June 21, 2008

[2nd full-length album from indie-folk band Bon Iver, founded by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon who released Bon Iver’s debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago independently in July 2007. That album was recorded while Vernon spent three months in a remote cabin in Northwestern Wisconsin. This second album has been described as an “ambitious musical departure.” It made it’s debut at number one on the Danish and Norwegian Album Charts. Bon Iver will be playing The Uptown Theatre on Friday, September 9, with Kathleen Edwards, in a show that is now SOLD OUT.]

11:15 – Interview & Live performance from: Sterling Witt

14. Sterling Witt – “Desensitized” LIVE

also available on: Shadows and Secrets / Bright Orange Records / 2010

Sterling Witt is an Artist and Musician who since 2000 has released six full length recordings. Sterling joins us today to share his latest songs and talk about his new band, The Evolution, featuring: Eric Knight on bass, and Allan Winkler on drums. Sterling Witt & The Evolution will be in concert Sat, Sept 3, at 9:30 PM, at CODA, 1744 Broadway Blvd KC. Nicolette Paige will also be joining Sterling on stage and opening the evening! Michelle Gormlie who will be in town for the show from San Diego CA, will join Sterling on stage for a song.

11:22

15. Sterling Witt – “Perfect Girl” LIVE

also available on: Sounds of The Future / Bright Orange Records / 2010

Sterling went to Joplin last week with a volunteer crew, to help clean up and rebuild the town.

11:30

16. Sterling Witt – “You’re The One” LIVE

also available on: Sounds of The Future / Bright Orange Records / 2010

Sterling is releasing a new single: “You’re the One” a duet with Michelle Gormlie. This single CD also includes a cover version of “Lacucaracha.” Sterling is also releasing brand new “Perfect Girl” shirts that he designed in homage to the song: “Perfect Girl.”

Sterling, recently hosted the 2nd Annual Birthday Bash at his farm house – art farm, with a 50 foot bonfire and an acoustic concert, with Jon Stubblefield opening.

11:38

17. Sterling Witt – “Hollow Moon” LIVE

also available on: Sounds of The Future / Bright Orange Records / 2010

Sterling Witt and The Evolution, featuring: Eric Knight on bass, and Allan Winkler on drums will be in concert Sat, Sept 3, at 9:30 PM, at CODA, 1744 Broadway Blvd KC. Nicolette Paige will also be joining Sterling on stage and opening the evening! More info at: sterlingwitt.com

11:45

18. Stephin Merritt – “The Sun and the Sea and the Sky”

from: Obscurities / Merge Records / August 30, 2011

[In 1999, The Magnetic Fields’ three-CD collection 69 Love Songs established Stephin Merritt as one of this generation’s most talented songwriters. The Los Angeles Times hails Merritt as “one of indie-rock’s most acclaimed figures.” For those who’ve wondered if the Magnetic Fields had a spare, 70th love song in the cupboard back in 1999, the answer is yes: “The Sun and the Sea and the Sky,” which skewers songwriting clichés about the natural world even as Mr. Merritt beckons his lover to frolic in the great outdoors. Stephin Merritt writes that “this song didn’t go on 69 Love Songs because it wasn’t actually about romantic love. Now it sounds like a Germanic hymn to nature, as directed by Leni Riefenstahl.” This previously unreleased track is part of Stephin Merritt release, Obscurities, in his return to Merge Records. This is a collection of Merritt’s hard-to-find recordings dating back to his time on Merge (1994 1999) and prior, as well as five previously unreleased tracks. The Magnetic Fields will be releasing their new album on Merge in early 2012.]

19. Death Cab For Cutie – “Underneath the Sycamore”

from: Codes and Keys / Atlantic Records / May 27, 2011

[7th studio album was recorded in studios up and down the West Coast, in short bursts over a period of seven months. Lead singer and band lyricist, Ben Gibbard stated, “I feel like if there is a theme of home throughout the record, it has as much to do because of the changes that have happened in my life,” Gibbard says. “I’ve moved from Seattle to Los Angeles, I’ve gotten married, I’ve rediscovered what the definition of home is.”.]

20. Nicolette Paige – “Do You Love Me?”

from: The Other Side / Independent / (As yet unreleased allbum)

[Nicolette Paige is a Kansas City based singer-songwriter from Kansas City, Kansas. More info: nicolettepaige.com or myspace.com/nicolettepaigemusic. Nicolette Paige will perform with and open for Sterling Witt & The Evolution, Sat, Sept 3, at 9:30 PM, at CODA, 1744 Broadway Blvd KC.]

21. Noel Coward – “The Party’s Over Now”

from: Noel Coward in New York / drg / 2003 [orig. 1957]

Sources for Notes: Artist’s websites noted above and wikipedia.org

Show #384